Folk Music

You may have noticed our unusually unusual word of the issue in the magazine – hootenanny. If you want to know more, read on!

Hootenanny is a term for a social gathering or informal concert featuring folk singing and sometimes dancing. For example, some places have hosted weekly hootenannies for many years – a notable one has taken place at Allegany State Park in New York most summers since 1972. Since folk music thrives in oral tradition, its history can be understood through its connections to other forms of music. Many folk songs have also been traced to literary sources, such as the medieval ballads of Robin Hood, which were passed down orally but recorded in written form as early as the 15th century.

In medieval Europe, as Christianity expanded to a wider audience, authorities attempted to suppress folk music due to its links with pre-Christian rites and customs. However, some aspects of European folk music remained absorbed within medieval Christian church music. Over time, folk music was also incorporated into European art music compositions, especially during the Renaissance period.

During the late 15th and 16th centuries, the literate urban classes became more receptive to folk music than in previous medieval periods. The humanistic attitudes of the Renaissance encouraged the acceptance of folk music as a form of antique song. Some music in Renaissance manuscripts is presumed to be folk song due to its simple, rural characteristics, and Renaissance composers frequently incorporated folk themes and styles into their works.

The relationship between folk music and art music became a topic of interest in the late 18th century when Western thinkers began to romanticise folk and peasant life. Folk music came to be respected as a reflection of artistic self-consciousness and aesthetic theory. It was seen as representing the shared experiences of local communities, making it a valuable source of inspiration for art music – particularly when intended to evoke a sense of cultural identity or belonging.

Some of the most well-known traditional folk songs in England and the wider UK include “Scarborough Fair”, a haunting ballad of lost love; “The Water Is Wide”, a Scottish folk song that has been performed in many variations; “The Wild Rover”, a lively drinking song popular in both England and Ireland; and “Greensleeves”, a famous English folk tune that has been linked to Tudor history. The enduring appeal of these songs highlights the lasting influence of folk music on British culture.